Kremlin Responds to Viral Allegations
The Kremlin said on Friday it would examine a viral video appeal to President Vladimir Putin by a military veteran accusing Russian commanders in Ukraine of torturing and murdering soldiers for not fulfilling “suicidal orders.” Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the Kremlin had not yet seen the appeal, which was posted on Instagram, but that it sounded like it contained “strange wording.”
Video Goes Viral Despite Ban
The post by veteran Alexander Lunin garnered over 12 million views in 24 hours, despite Instagram being banned in Russia and accessible only via virtual private network. In the video, Lunin, who lives in Russia’s Voronezh region, alleged that thousands of Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine were being held in pits for refusing to carry out “stupid or suicidal orders” or for refusing to hand over money to their commanders. He claimed such soldiers were tortured before being murdered, and their commanders covered up the deaths by reporting them as missing in action.
No Evidence Cited
Lunin’s appeal did not cite any evidence or name any alleged victims or perpetrators. Before the video, most Russians had not heard of him. It was unclear if Lunin was speaking on his own initiative or whether—as he suggested—he represented wider forces. In the video, he wore combat fatigues and numerous medals, and demanded a personal audience with Putin on live TV, warning that otherwise the army would turn their guns on the Kremlin.
Peskov’s Comments
Asked about the appeal during a conference call, Peskov said: “You know, we were indeed told that such an appeal exists, but we haven’t had a chance to look at it yet, so I wouldn’t want to comment on it.” He added: “But judging by what you’ve said, it contains some rather strange wording, so we need to look at it first.”
